Longines Watches: a short history
Longines is a Swiss watchmaker based at St Imier. Established in 1832 they are now part of the Swatch Group. Here is a short history of the Longines company.
Longines is a Swiss watchmaker based at St Imier. Established in 1832 they are now part of the Swatch Group.
In 1832 Auguste Agassiz started a Agassiz & compangnie with a partnership between himself and another company in Saint-Imier. By the 1850’s Auguste’s nephew Ernest Francillon took over the management of the company.
Breaking with Tradition
In the mid 19th century watch making was typically a home-based business and the watchmaker has some kind of agent (called a comptoir) who would sell their timepieces on the world market. Longines worked as an établisseur in which the company does not manufacture parts themselves but assembles watches from parts purchased from specialist suppliers. It then established trade links around the world, especially with North America.
Ernest believed it would be more efficient to bring the manufacturing inside a single factory where mechanical production methods could be used to assemble and finish the watch. The factory was located on the banks of the river Suzze in the Saint-Imier valley in 1866, an area known as Les Longines. The enterprise was stunningly successful and by 1911 had more than 1100 employees.
The logo of a winged hourglass has been in use since 1867 and became a well known symbol at sporting events such as gymnastics, horse jumping, skating, tennis and skiing. The quality of Longines time measurement was sought after for world-class sporting events events such as the Olympics (since1892) and Formula One motor racing, and it still is today. Many Baseball stadiums had Longines scoreboard analogue clocks.
The company won many awards for innovation and in 1970 produced the world’s first consumer LCD watch. Over the next decade they reduced the watch to less than 1mm thick.
In the 1980’s, Longines became part of the Swatch Group. In 2012 they celebrated 180 years in business, which is no mean achievement. In that time they have produced more than 30 million watches.
eBay USA
On eBay UK: | Unisex LONGINES Quartz watch Gold Plated,Cal L152.4, 28x30mm working. £ 300.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique De Longines Model No: L4.220.4 classic ladies watch £ 250.00 |
 | Longines Conquest 41mm Silver Dial, Serviced by Longines £ 350.00 |
 | Longines Dolce Vita Unisex Stainless Steel Watch - requires battery £ 250.00 |
 | Longines Classic Men's Watch - L.720.2 £ 140.99 |
 | LONGINES Men’s Vintage 1940’s Manual Sub-Seconds Watch 12.68Z £ 249.99 |
 | Longines Spirit 40mm Black Dial Watch £ 1,100.00 |
 | Longines Box and Papers 33 mm quartz £ 250.00 |
 | longines conquest heritage L1.611.4.75.2 £ 500.00 |
 | longines conquest 38mm L37204526 £ 1,050.00 |
 | Longines Presence Watch L4.720.2 Gold Plated Black Strap £ 195.00 |
 | Longines Evidenza Chronograph L2.656.4.71.5 £ 849.99 |
 | longine dolce vita £ 80.00 |
 | Ladies Longines quartz date Watch L5.132.2 Les Grandes Classique 24mm, Boxed. £ 350.00 |
 | 1960s Longines (Manual Wind) Vintage Mens Watch 17 Jewels Cal. 284 £ 475.00 |
 | Ladies Longines Le Grand Classique L4.209.4 24mm £ 215.00 |
 | longines master collection £ 1,200.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique White Women's Watch - L4.209.2.11.7 £ 900.00 |
 | LONGINES Spirit Silver - L3.810.4.7.36 - 40mm - Full Set - Warranty to Sep 2027 £ 1,100.00 |
 | Longines Spirit Silver Men's Automatic Watch - L3.810.4.73.6 L38104736 £ 1,050.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique L4.677.4 Watch Silver Dial Black Leather Strap £ 325.00 |
 | Vintage Ladies LONGINES L4.220.2 Quartz Analog Quartz Watch, 24mm, working. £ 250.00 |
 | LONGINES Hydro Conquest L3.841.4.96.6 Blue £ 769.00 |
 | Longines Automatic Chronograph Master Collection 40mm 2022 W/ Box & Papers £ 989.99 |
 | Longines L4 219.2 ladies quartz watch in excelent condition, new battery, box £ 225.00 |
 | LONGINES LES GRANDES CLASSIQUES £ 169.00 |
 | Longines Avigation Bigeye L2.816.4.53.2 41mm Black Dial Box & Papers 2020 £ 2,295.00 |
 | Longines Evidenza L2.155.4 ladies Watch, Original box & paperwork (Immaculate) £ 470.00 |
 | Longines watch box Flagship Spirit gmt Hydroconquest Master Dolcevita Primaluna £ 29.95 |
 | Longines vintage automatic wrist watch large size 35mm 6322-2 1950's fish back £ 500.00 |
 | Longines watch ladies £ 129.49 |
 | Longines Dolcevita Mother Of Pearl, Blue Dial,Original Box With Authentication. £ 995.00 |
 | Longines Heritage Classic Sector Dial L2.828.4 Box & Papers Excellent Condition £ 1,599.00 |
 | longines conquest 41mm £ 425.00 |
 | Longines Hydroconquest Men’s Watch L3.640.3 £ 600.00 |
 | Longines Heritage 1935 42mm Limited Run (L27944) 2015, Box Papers Warranty £ 1,820.00 |
 | Longines Conquest £ 755.00 |
 | Longines men’s watch £ 1,500.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique de Longines Gold Women's Watch - L4.209.2 £ 250.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique White Women's Watch - L4.209.2.11.7 £ 700.00 |
